§ Sir HARRY VERNEYasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture if he will state in how many cases the Board have taken action since the Act was passed under Sections 4 to 6 of the Small Holdings Act, 1908?
§ Mr. GULLAND (Lord of the Treasury) (for Sir E. Strachey)The Board have taken action under Sections 4 to 6 of the Act in fifty-two instances, four counties and one county borough being concerned.
§ Mr. WEBBasked how many applications were received by the county council of Gloucestershire for small holdings; how many of them were approved; whether any of these have withdrawn their applications; and how many are still without land?
§ Mr. GULLANDSeven hundred and eighty-four applications have been received of which 464 have been provisionally approved. The remainder were either withdrawn or considered unsuitable. Two hundred and seventeen applicants are still without land.
§ Mr. WEBBasked how many applications were received by the county council of Herefordshire for small holdings; how many of them were approved; whether any of these have withdrawn their applications; and how many are still without land?
§ Mr. GULLANDThe numbers are as follows:—
Applications received … … 434 Approved … … 236 Withdrawn … … 46 Still without land … … 90
§ Mr. MORRELLasked at what time was Mr. E. O. Fordham appointed as a special 2059 commissioner of the Board and when was the appointment terminated; in what county or counties was he employed; what schemes has he submitted to the Board during that period, with the total number of acres and applicants involved; whether these schemes were forwarded by the Board to the county councils concerned; and how many of them have been carried out?
§ Mr. GULLANDMr. E. O. Fordham was appointed a Special Commissioner for Wiltshire in April, 1909, and for the County Borough of Bournemouth in October, 1909. Both appointments were terminated in January, 1910. Mr. Fordham made eighteen reports recommending the acquisition of 1,941 acres for 140 applicants in Wiltshire, and one report recommending the acquisition of seventy-seven acres for twenty applicants in Bournemouth. All these reports were sent to the councils concerned. The Board are satisfied that the Wiltshire County Council have done what they can to carry out the reports sent to them. They have acquired 508 acres of land, and would have acquired other land if the applicants had not refused to take it up. The Bournemouth Town Council refused to prepare a scheme, and the Board therefore directed the Small Holdings Commissioners to prepare one and carry it into effect.
§ Mr. MORRELLDo I understand that, except in one instance, all the other seventeen reports have not yet been carried out.
§ Mr. GULLANDI do not think the hon. Member can assume that from the answer.
§ Mr. MORRELLCan he ascertain how many of the schemes submitted by Mr. Fordham have yet been carried out by the county councils concerned?
§ Mr. GULLANDPerhaps the hon. Member will take the trouble to put that question down?
§ Mr. WEDGWOODDoes the hon. Member not notice that the last line of the question exactly asks that question, "How many of them have been carried out?"
§ Mr. MORRELLasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he has obtained any further information in the case of James Gardiner, of Carnforth, in Lancashire, an applicant for land under the Small Holdings Act, who on Tuesday last was forcibly evicted 2060 by his landlord, Mr. Gillow, at a time when the special commissioner of the Board had selected six acres of Mr. Gil-low's land as suitable for the small holding required; whether the Board are satisfied as to the accuracy of the report of their special commissioner that the eviction took place in consequence of Mr. Gardiner's application for a small holding; and what steps the Board have taken, or propose to take in this matter?
§ Mr. GULLANDThe Board have instructed one of the Small Holdings Commissioners to ascertain Mr. Gardiner's requirements as regards either a small holding or an allotment, and to do everything he properly can to assist him. In the meantime they have no further information to supply.
§ Mr. MORRELLWill the hon. Member say whether the Board have yet satisfied themselves of the accuracy of the Report of the Special Commissioner that the eviction took place in consequence of Mr. Gardiner's application for a small holding?
§ Mr. GULLANDI have no information. Perhaps the hon. Member will put down a question.
§ Mr. MORRELLAre we to understand that although these allegations were made three weeks ago the Board of Agriculture have not yet satisfied themselves whether they are true or not?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member is replying on behalf of the Department, and he can hardly be expected to give that information.
§ Mr. RICHARD LAMBERTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether the Board have yet made further inquiries in the case of Harry Williams, of South Marston, in Wiltshire, who was ejected from his house by his landlord, Mr. Snook, in consequence of the action he took in applying for land under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act; what the result of those inquiries had been; and what action the Board propose to take?
§ Mr. GULLANDThis matter is still the subject of inquiry, and I am not as yet in a position to add anything to the information which I have already given respecting it.
§ Mr. MORRELLCan the hon. Gentleman say when he will be in a position to add to that information?
§ Mr. GULLANDI hope my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary of the Board of Agriculture will be in his place on Thursday, and perhaps the hon. Member will put down a question to him again.